Sensory Integration
	Sensory integration is defined as the neurological process that organizes sensation from one's own body and the environment, thus making it possible to use the body effectively within the environment. Sensory integration theory was originated by Dr. A. Jean Ayres, whose research and love for children has inspired many therapists to educate themselves with respect to the neuroscience and influence of environmental stimuli on developing children. Sensory integration has a long history of research and with that, a significant amount of controversy. This web site is aimed at educating and providing resources to the parents of children with sensory integration problems. The idea for this site grew out of the realization that many of the families whose children were being evaluated for early intervention services, were filling out sensory profiles without any idea as to why this information was needed and what the results implied. Hopefully, this site will provide families with some insight into the theory of Sensory Integration and how to get additional information if needed. Sensory information It is believed that sensory information is one of the first areas to fully develop in an infant's brain. We rarely stop to think how important our five senses are in terms of providing us with information about the world. For example, our senses tell us when there is a bug crawling up our leg, if we are going to fall, and whether there is smoke in the room. Without the ability to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste we would live in complete isolation, unable to not only sense, but also to think and learn due to a lack of experience with which to develop ideas. When we discuss sensory integration we add to it the two senses of vestibular (Reponses to movement) and proprioception (body awareness). Each sensory system has its own specific receptor that specializes in optimal responses to a specific type of sensation. Working together Let us begin by saying we all have our own sensory difficulties such as people who are terrified of rollercoasters. Nobody has the perfect sensory system; we all have our own quirks whether we are aware of them or not. Children also have their own little quirks. The difference between quirks and sensory difficulty is that the latter interferes with daily life, thus preventing the child from seeking new things. These difficulties indicate a need for intervention. A child will seek out what they need, but it may not be at the level of insensitivity or consistency that their nervous system requires. For example, the child that seems to jump and climb on everything and anything is automatically seeking out that proprioceptive input in order to organize this particular information more efficiently. Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound, and the pull of gravity. The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this information is called sensory integration. Sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behavior. The senses work together. Each sense works with the others to form a composite picture of who we are physically, where we are, and what is going on around us. Sensory integration is the critical function of the brain that is responsible for producing this composite picture. It is the organization of sensory information for on-going use. In order to achieve developmental milestones, children must first be able to intake sensory input, process it, and than respond appropriately within seconds. For most of us, effective sensory integration occurs automatically and subconsciously, without effort. We do not tend to think of all the movements necessary to perform efficiently throughout our day it would be exhausting. For the child with sensory dysfunction the process is often inefficient, demanding effort and attention with no guarantee of accuracy. When this occurs, the goals they strive for are not easily attained. For most children, sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is the ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should. Good sensory processing enables all the impulses to flow easily and reach their destination quickly. Sensory integrative dysfunction is a sort of `traffic jam' in the brain. Some bits of sensory information get `tied up in traffic,' and certain parts of the brain do not get the sensory information they need to function properly. The ability to attend to a task depends on the ability to screen out, or inhibit, nonessential sensory information, background noises, or visual information. The child with sensory integration dysfunction may frequently respond to or register sensory information without this screening ability and is considered distractible, hyperactive, or uninhibited. These children are always "on the alert" and constantly asking about or orienting to sensory input that others ignore (e.g. refrigerator motor, heater fan, distant airplane, etc.). Other children may fail to register unique sensory input and are unresponsive to stimuli. For example, the child may not turn around or respond when her/his name is called. One parent stated that her child was oblivious and unresponsive to a loud noise in the same room but immediately responded when he heard his favorite television show in the other room. What are some signs of Sensory Integration Dysfunction? * Overly sensitive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds * Under reactive to touch, movement, sights, or sounds * Easily distracted * Activity level that is unusually high or unusually low * Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness * Impulsive, lacking in self control * Difficulty making transitions from one situation to another * Inability to unwind or calm self What is the sensory Profile? The purpose of the sensory profile is to assess the possible contributions that sensory processing has on the child's daily performance patterns and to provide information about his/her tendencies to respond and interpret sensory stimuli. In addition, it allows the therapist to interpret which processing system may hinder the child's optimal functional performance. The results are categorized as typical probable difference (one standard deviation from the mean), and definite differences (two standard deviations from the mean). The sensory profile is not a diagnostic tool, rather it helps the occupational therapist focus therapy on the most needed areas. The Sensory profile is based on a caregiver's questionnaire. Each item describes the children's response to various sensory experiences. The areas identified are general, auditory, vestibular, tactile and oral sensory processing. There is also a Quadrant summary which provides an additional way to consider the child's score. The quadrant reveals patterns related to the child's responsivity to stimuli in the environment and is used when more specific information is required to gain a more accurate "picture" of the child's performance in areas of sensory seeking and avoiding sensitivity. The Vestibular system has a role in body awareness, position in space, postural tone, coordination and equilibrium. It also plays a part in the stabilization of eyes in space during movement. As an example of vestibular movement, children enjoy a lot of rhythmic activities such as in rocking or bouncing and are continually seeking movement hence vestibular input. They need to move about as a part of being ready and available for all activities. Tactile processing is the ability to receive and discriminate pressure, vibration, movement, temperature, pain and touch primarily through skin receptors. The tactile system is part of somatosensory function assisting in proprioception which provides awareness of position and movement via receptors in the joints, tendon and muscles. Auditory processing is the ability to receive, identify, discriminate and communicate sounds as one hears and perceives them while interacting in their environment. Visual processing is the ability to receive, identify, and discriminate between visual input Oral motor processing is the ability to interpret and organize input in and throughout the mouth